U.S. patent number 6,233,102 [Application Number 09/532,133] was granted by the patent office on 2001-05-15 for point-of-purchase display.
Invention is credited to Veigh E. Hogan, Jr..
United States Patent |
6,233,102 |
Hogan, Jr. |
May 15, 2001 |
Point-of-purchase display
Abstract
A point-of-purchase display featuring a fresnel lens in a frame
attached to an advertising display device. The advertising display
device includes a place for signage and is adapted for attachment
to the top or bottom of a store shelf, or into a price channel
along the front edge. The fresnel lens is of low magnification such
that when a small package or container with printed matter is
viewed through the lens it can be seen with both eyes, in its
entirety.
Inventors: |
Hogan, Jr.; Veigh E. (Creve
Coeur, MO) |
Family
ID: |
24120496 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/532,133 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2000 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
359/802;
359/822 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B
3/08 (20130101); G02B 25/002 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G02B
3/08 (20060101); G02B 25/00 (20060101); G02B
007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;359/802,803,804,806,809,819,822,805 ;40/427,493,494,661 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Mack; Ricky
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fishel; Grace J.
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A point-of-purchase display comprising:
an advertising display device adapted for attachment to a store
shelf,
a fresnel lens in a frame for magnifying printed matter on a
package with the fresnel lens between the printed matter and a
viewer,
a means for mounting the frame on the advertising display device
such that the frame is generally parallel to the shelf and angled
towards a viewer.
2. The point-of-purchase display of claim 1 wherein the fresnel
lens has a first smooth side nearest the eyes of a viewer and an
under-surface formed with prismatic grooves nearest the printed
matter being magnified.
3. The point-of-purchase display of claim 2 wherein the fresnel
lens magnifies a package four inches or less in length such that
the entire package can be seen within the fresnel lens.
4. The point-of-purchase display of claim 3 wherein the fresnel
lens has a magnification of 1.5 times or less and is large enough
that the entire package is visible through the lens.
5. A point-of-purchase display comprising:
an advertising display device adapted for attachment to a price
channel at the front of a shelf,
a fresnel lens in a frame for magnifying printed matter on a
package with the fresnel lens between the printed matter and a
viewer,
a means for mounting the frame on the advertising display device
for movement between a first stored position and a second in-use
position, said frame being generally parallel to the shelf and
angled towards a viewer in the in-use position.
6. The point-of-purchase display of claim 5 wherein the advertising
display device is attached to the shelf with a ball and socket
joint held together with an elastic band.
7. The point-of-purchase display of claim 5 wherein the fresnel
lens has a first smooth side nearest the eyes of a viewer and an
under-surface formed with prismatic grooves nearest the printed
matter being magnified.
8. The point-of-purchase display of claim 7 wherein the fresnel
lens magnifies a package four inches or less in length such that
the entire package can be seen within the fresnel lens.
9. The point-of-purchase display of claim 8 wherein the fresnel
lens has a magnification of 1.5 times or less and is large enough
that the entire package is visible through the lens.
10. The point-of-purchase display of claim 5 wherein the fresnel
lens is generally rectangular and formed of rigid vinyl.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a point-of-purchase display with a
fresnel lens magnifier for promoting products and providing
information.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It is common practice, especially in retail establishments, to
display advertising material in high traffic flow locations for the
purpose of catching the eye of the customer. An area of high
traffic flow in any retail location is in the aisles between the
display shelves.
Various point-of-purchase displays have been developed for
attachment to the top or bottom of display shelves or to a price
channel at the front of the shelf. Some point-of-purchase displays
are static, dispense a coupon, wiggle or have flashing lights. Once
the customer has seen a point-of-purchase display several times, he
or she may walk by it without actually "seeing" so there is always
a need for something different to catch the customer's attention.
Another way to sustain interest in the advertisement would be if
the point-of-purchase display provided a benefit to the customer,
other than dispensing a coupon. It is to this marketing opportunity
that the present invention is addressed.
Some non-prescription drugs, nutriceuticals, food supplements, and
the like are sold in small containers. The label on these
containers of necessity is small and the label is difficult to
read, particularly for persons approaching or passed middle age.
Presbyopia is a form of farsightedness which nearly universally
affects the ability of a forty-plus person to see fine print
clearly, caused by a diminished elasticity of the crystalline lens.
While such persons may have eyeglasses for reading, often times
they do not carry their glasses with them and even those middle
aged persons who must wear glasses all the time may have difficulty
reading fine print. This age group, however, purchases many (or
possibly most) non-prescription drugs, nutriceuticals, food
supplements and so forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,477 to Nyman proposes the attachment of an
open-bottomed box with a glass magnifying lens in its top wall to a
store shelf for use in magnifying the print on a small package. The
field of view in Nyman's device is small because large glass lenses
are expensive and the image is distorted, unlike a fresnel lens.
The lighting on the product is also reduced as the sidewalls of the
box block the light. In addition, the device is dangerous as a
customer might be hurt by pieces of glass if he or she falls
against the device and breaks the lens.
Inexpensive, plastic fresnel lenses, which are more convenient to
carry than glass lenses, may be used to magnify the print on a
small container. The AARP, for example, has given such devices to
their members. Like eyeglasses, however, the customer may forget to
bring a lens with him or her or the lens may become damaged when it
is carried in a pocket or purse. Another important factor is
vanity.
A point-of-purchase display with a large fresnel lens for
magnifying the fine print on small packages of drugs,
nutriceuticals, food supplements, etc. would be a benefit to the
customer, if provided at the point where the need arises. The
display would include a place for signage with information about
the product and the magnifying device would allow the customer to
read the fine print on the label, without drawing attention to him-
or herself. On subsequent visits, the point-of-purchase display
would continue to be of interest because the display provides a
benefit to the consumer. While the customer might use the device to
read the label on another or even a competing product, he or she
cannot totally avoid being influenced by the sponsor's advertising
message.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a point-of-purchase display with a fresnel magnifier for
use in magnifying the print on small containers and packages of
goods. It is another object to provide a point-of-purchase display
that generates goodwill with customers by providing a benefit.
Other objects and features of the invention will be in part
apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.
In accordance with the invention, a point-of-purchase display
includes an advertising display device adapted for attachment to a
store shelf, a fresnel lens in a frame for magnifying printed
matter on a package with the fresnel lens between the printed
matter and a viewer, and a means for mounting the frame on the
advertising display device such that the frame is generally
parallel to the shelf and angled towards a viewer in use. In a
preferred embodiment the fresnel lens has a first smooth side
nearest the eyes of a viewer and an under-surface formed with
prismatic grooves nearest the printed matter being magnified. It is
also preferred that the fresnel lens magnifies the package such
that the entire package can be seen within the fresnel lens. In
other embodiments, the means for mounting the frame on the
advertising display device also provides for movement between a
first stored position and a second in-use position.
The invention summarized above comprises the constructions
hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated
by the subjoined claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible
embodiments of the invention are illustrated, corresponding
reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the
several views of the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a point-of-purchase display in
accordance with the present invention shown mounted on a shelf with
a fresnel lens magnifier in a stored position;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first point-of-purchase display
as shown in FIG. 1 but with the mounting mechanism for attaching
the display to a shelf omitted and with the fresnel lens magnifier
in an in-use position;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 of a second
point-of-purchase display;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 2 of a third
point-of-purchase display;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fourth point-of-purchase display
with the mounting mechanism for attaching the display to a shelf
omitted and with a fresnel lens magnifier partially rotated into an
in-use position;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the fourth point-of-purchase
display as shown in FIG. 5 but with the fresnel lens magnifier in
an in-use position;
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a point-of-purchase
display as shown in FIGS. 1-2 but with a second mounting mechanism
for attaching the display to a shelf;
FIG. 8 is an exploded longitudinal cross-section on an enlarged
scale of the mounting mechanism shown in FIG. 7 with a different
elastic member;
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a third mounting mechanism for
attaching a point-of-purchase display to a shelf;
FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a fourth mounting mechanism for
attaching a point-of-purchase display to a shelf; and,
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a fifth point-of-purchase display
with a fresnel lens magnifier in permanent in-use position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference character,
reference numeral 10 refers to a point-of-purchase display in
accordance with the present invention. Point-of-purchase display 10
comprises an advertising display device 12 on which is mounted a
frame 14 with a fresnel lens 16. Advertising display device 12 is
mounted along the top or bottom of a store shelf 18 frequently
through an array of holes 20 provided in the shelf, or in a price
channel 22 provided at the front of the shelf. Price channel 22 has
upper and lower opposing flanges 24U, 24L into which advertising
display device 12 is inserted. A unifying feature of all
advertising display devices 12 is that they are attached to store
shelf 18 and include a place for signage 26.
When point-of-purchase display 10 is to remain in place for long
periods of time, advertising display device 12 should be able to
withstand being repeatedly bumped and manipulated. Unless
advertising display device 12 is resilient and durable, it may not
be able to withstand even accidental abuse and remain in place on
the shelf for the full duration of the promotional program. One
suitable mounting mechanism 28 for firm, durable, and resilient
attachment of advertising display device 12 to a price channel is
shown in FIG. 1 and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,289,652 and
5,472,289. It will be understood that other mechanisms 28 which are
now in existence or which become available that clip into price
channel 22 and are sufficiently anchored are also suitable for use
in the present invention. One such mechanism is shown in FIGS. 7-8.
Advertising display device 12 in this instance includes a U-shaped
member 30 with outwardly directed feet 32. Feet 32 are wedged into
price channel 22 with set screws 34 which spread U-shaped member
30. Attached to the bight of U-shaped member 30 is a hemispherical
ball 36 which is received in a correspondingly shaped recess 38 in
a stem 40 of sign 26. The joint between ball 36 and recess 38 is
maintained by an elastic band 42 as shown in FIG. 8 and a rubber
bolt 43 as shown in FIG. 7.
Other mounting mechanisms 28 are shown in FIGS. 9-10 wherein a
bracket 44 is bolted through one of holes 20 in shelf 18. In FIG.
9, bracket 44 is L-shaped with a spacer sleeve 46 provided on a
bolt 48 for mounting the bracket parallel with shelf 18 by
tightening a nut 50 on bolt 48. In FIG. 10, bracket 44 is Z-shaped,
obviating the need for a sleeve as required in the embodiment shown
in FIG. 9. Another style of advertising display device 12 is shown
in FIG. 1 wherein a channel member 52 grips the top and bottom of
store shelf 18. A bight of channel member 52 along the front edge
of the shelf may include a price channel into which may be slipped
a sign 26. A top surface of channel member 52, along the top of the
shelf, may also be used for signage.
Fresnel lens 16 is formed of a light-weight plastic material
preferably with a smooth, flat viewing surface nearest the eyes of
the user and an under-surface formed with prismatic grooves nearest
the printed matter on a small container or package 54 being
observed. The lens magnifies the fine print on container 54 when
viewed from the smooth surface. Fresnel lens 16 will also magnify
the writing when viewed from the opposite side but it is preferred
that the lens be oriented such that the smooth, flat side is
towards the user so that the prismatic grooves are protected from
damage. Standard plastic materials for fresnel lens 16 include
acrylic, polycarbonate and rigid vinyl. Rigid vinyl has a number of
characteristics which make it both affordable and very suitable for
use in the present invention. It has a high index of refraction; it
is reasonably inexpensive; and it can be die-cut. Rigid vinyl is
also naturally fire-retardant.
Fresnel lens 16 is supported by frame 14 and is preferably
rectangular but other shapes of lenses may be used. Unlike an
ordinary spherical glass lens, fresnel lens 16 does not distort the
magnified image (i.e., a rectangular grid remains a rectangular
grid after magnification). This makes it easier for a user to read
small print, whereas a spherical lens warps the image. Fresnel lens
16 is mounted on advertising display device 12 such that frame 14
is generally parallel to shelf 18, substantially horizontal, and
angled towards the viewer in use. It is preferred that fresnel lens
16 be large enough that the entire package (or label), four inches
or less in length, be visible through the lens with both eyes so
that the view is stereoscopic. It is therefore preferred that the
lens magnify the fine print only slightly, perhaps as little as 1.2
or 1.5.times.. To see the entire package with this degree of
magnification, the lens must therefore be 1.2 or 1.5 times the size
of the object in both length and width.
Frame 14 may be rigidly mounted on advertising display device 12 as
shown in FIG. 11 wherein frame is an extension to channel member 52
and formed as a continuous portion thereof. A window 56 may be cut
into the extension within which fresnel lens 16 is slipped or the
lens may be viewed through the extension. In this advertising
display device 12, frame 14 always is in an in-use position, angled
towards the viewer. When the viewer holds a package or label below
frame 14, the plane of the fine print should be generally parallel
with the plane of fresnel lens 16. In other embodiments, as shown
in FIGS. 1-2, a means 58 for mounting frame 24 to advertising
display device 12 permits the frame to be moved between a first
stored position (FIG. 1) and a second in-use position (FIG. 2). In
this embodiment, frame 14 is received in a slot in sign 26 attached
to mounting mechanism 28. A ball joint 60 permits frame 14 to be
rotated between a vertical, stored position and a horizontal,
in-use position. A stored and in-use position for frame 14 may be
provided as shown in FIGS. 3-4 wherein sign 26 is mounted on a
plate 62 and frame 14 slides out (FIG. 3) or pivots about (FIG. 4)
plate 62. A stop 64 may be provided on frame 14 to prevent
overextension of the frame from plate 62 and hook and pile mating
fasteners 66 (e.g., VELCRO) may be used to secure frame 14 in
stored pivoted position. A further embodiment of means 58 for
mounting frame 14 to advertising display device 12 in a manner that
permits the frame to be moved between a stored and in-use position
is shown in FIGS. 5-6. As shown therein, frame 14 is attached to
sign 26 with a pivoting hinge 68 that permits frame to rotate on
hinge 68 about an axis 70 at a lower front corner of sign 26 and
then to swing on hinge 68 perpendicular to sign 26. Other means 58
for accomplishing the above-mentioned function will occur to those
skilled in the art.
In use, with frame generally parallel to shelf 18 and with fresnel
lens 16 generally horizontal between the printed matter on package
54 and the viewer, the printed matter is magnified, making it
relatively easy for a person with vision impairment to read. It
will be noted that frame 14 is shallow such that it does not block
the light reaching the object being magnified. This is important as
persons with vision impairment are drastically affected if the
light is dim. Point-of-purchase display 10 provides a benefit to
the customer. It is readily available for use when the need arises
and can be used without embarrassment. Even through a customer may
use fresnel lens 16 for a different or even a competing product, he
or she cannot totally avoid being influenced by the sponsor's
advertising message on sign 26 because of the goodwill generated by
providing the magnifier.
In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of
the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.
As various changes could be made in the above constructions without
departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all
matter contained in the above description or shown in the
accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not
in a limiting sense.
* * * * *